When the young midfielder made his local team debut versus Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his manager back then predicted, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
This prediction turned out to be something of an underestimation.
Today 22 years old and a Premier League regular with Bournemouth, the midfielder has just received his maiden summons to the senior England team.
His rise from non-league prodigy to possible international star is a true blast from the past, a story rarely seen in the modern era.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was no chance of making it as a professional football player, let alone playing in the top division and playing for England as well,” Scott said in a recent interview.
“It has been a incredible five or six years of my life, and circumstances have changed completely for myself and my loved ones.”
So in what way did Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself here?
Learning in non-league
His path in football has been far from a typical one.
He was part of four and a half years in Southampton’s youth system from the age of eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his home on Guernsey to the south coast so he could train and feature for the club’s academy sides.
Prior to his 13th birthday, though, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth were willing to offer Scott an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, as he later admitted, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he opted to stay on Guernsey and play for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and traveling weekly was starting to feel a bit too much,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at home with my mates at the weekend because I missed nearly four and a half years of doing that. To have that slice of childhood back was a thing I really needed.
“To gain a bit of confidence by coming back and taking part in local football was huge for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important things that got me to this point.”
When he was just 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a second-half replacement in their Isthmian League fixture at the opposition.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could include him in the side because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance stated back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is exceptional, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s a class act.”
Returning to the professional game
Championship side Bristol City – owned by islander their owner – had been tracking his development after an impressive start in adult football and arranged a try-out in late 2019.
“It was hectic,” recalled the player. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the second day I was with the senior squad, which was a complete surprise.
“Midweek I played for Guernsey FC in London, travelled back and by Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a three goals. From that point a done deal for me to sign a deal.”
In just 18 months, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut versus the Hatters.
He went on to make 83 league appearances for the Robins while still a teenager, often being deployed as a wide defender – and occasionally in attack as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his adaptability and flexibility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was their best player.
With his ability to drive the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and national team attacking midfielder Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign he won the second tier’s young player of the season honour, was selected in the division’s team of the year and was named the club’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I think he will represent his country and I’m sure he will progress to the pinnacle of the game,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at Ashton Gate, stated last year.
Less than three months after, he joined Bournemouth for a reported fee of 25 million pounds.
Securing his major transfer
The midfielder experienced a difficult first season with the Cherries, having to wait until the autumn to make his top-flight debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then being in and out of the starting XI.
His second campaign was equally affected, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for nearly four months.
“I had a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained Scott.
“That felt like almost another setback and it was shaping up as quite a terrible year for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by the national team for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to get himself fit for the tournament.
He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six games as they went on to win the tournament in the host nation, forming a formidable partnership in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the senior side under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started the current campaign equally as impressively for Bournemouth, playing in every game to help them to the top five in the table.
“To play for the England senior team would be one of the proudest occasions of my life,” Scott stated recently.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to continue developing as a footballer, maintain my love for football, getting better every day, and hopefully I impress the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
